Major winners and Major incentives propel historic championship to new heights
The Link Hong Kong Open 2025 will scale new heights from October 30 to November 2, when the 64th edition of Asia’s most prestigious national open tees off at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling.
With starts at the 90th Masters Tournament at Augusta National and The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 2026 awaiting the champion, this year’s tournament is shaping up to be one of the most significant in the history of Hong Kong’s oldest sporting event.
The Link Hong Kong Open 2025 will form part of the elevated International Series on the Asian Tour for the third successive year. As the seventh of nine International Series events for the 2025 season, the tournament will have a huge bearing on which player tops the final rankings and earns a ticket to the lucrative LIV Golf League.
The glittering field includes Major winners, Asian Tour stalwarts, past champions, and rising stars, who will clash over four days of intense competition at one of Asia’s most celebrated courses for a total purse of US$2 million.
The tournament’s Major pedigree matches its Major incentives in the form of five Major champions – American Patrick Reed (2018 Masters), South Africans Louis Oosthuizen (2010 Open) and Charl Schwartzel (2011 Masters), Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell (2010 U.S. Open) and Germany’s Martin Kaymer (2010 PGA Championship, 2014 U.S. Open).
Defending champion Reed returns to Fanling bolstered by a memorable three-shot victory in 2024, where he shot a stunning 11-under-par 59 in the third round to seize control of the tournament.
“Hong Kong is one of my favourite cities and I obviously have great memories from my victory last year. It would be great if I can put myself in the running again and make it back-to-back wins,” said Reed.
English stalwart Paul Casey may not have a Major title to his name but will certainly be one of the fan favourites. While he has won tournaments in 13 different countries, Casey has not triumphed in Hong Kong but came close in 2024 when he lost in a playoff to Mexico’s Abraham Ancer at LIV Golf Hong Kong.
“I enjoy playing all over the world and have been privileged to win at golf clubs that are steeped in history. Hopefully I can add Hong Kong Golf Club to that list this time around,” said Casey.
Other prominent players include four-time LIV Golf champion Talor Gooch of the United States, and four former Hong Kong Open champions – New Zealander Ben Campbell (2023), two-time winner Wade Ormsby of Australia (2017 and 2020), and Ormsby’s compatriots Sam Brazel (2016) and Scott Hend (2014).
The Link Hong Kong Open 2025 is also remarkable for its in-depth strength, with a host of Asian Tour stalwarts adding variety and muscle to the line-up. 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner John Catlin of the United States will be joined by 2022 merit winner and compatriot Sihwan Kim, along with Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand and Shubhankar Sharma of India who topped the season rankings in 2019 and 2018, respectively. Zimbabwean Scott Vincent will be hoping to consolidate his position at the top of both the 2025 Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings.
Leading the local challenge is the highly rated 24-year-old Taichi Kho, who will be looking to build on the memories of his maiden professional victory at the 2023 World City Championship at Hong Kong Golf Club. The other players from Hong Kong, China, include its top-ranked amateur Wang Ngai Shen and the leading two finishers from September’s local qualifying tournament, Isaac Lam and Leon D’Souza.
Reigning Asian Games gold medallist Kho, who is an ambassador of the host club, is looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd again.
“Growing up, I used to watch the Hong Kong Open and it is an honour indeed to be part of the field again. I will strive to do my best in front of my family and friends, and hopefully I can put together four days of solid golf. It would be a dream come true indeed to win and get into the 2026 Masters and The Open,” said Kho.
China’s rising young star Ding Wenyi has added incentive to earn the two Major starts. As the winner of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Japan, he was given exemptions into this year’s Masters and The Open – but had to forfeit those as he turned professional shortly after.
“It’s great to be back at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling. With the National Games here in a few weeks, I think it’s a perfect tune-up. I know there are big opportunities on offer this week, so my focus is simple—stay patient, make good decisions, and go for it,” said Ding, who is 20 years old.
The Hong Kong Open has been played every year since its inception in 1959 at Hong Kong Golf Club, making it and the Masters Tournament the only two professional golf events to have been held at the same venue for over half a century. The players will take on the club’s picturesque and challenging Composite Course, a classic, tree-lined tract which favours precise play and sound strategy over raw power.
Hong Kong Golf Club captain, Andy Kwok, said: “With such a strong field this year, we are looking forward to four days of scintillating golf at our venerable club. The Fanling layout will be set up to provide a worthy challenge for the world-class golfers, and I am sure we will see a deserving champion come Sunday.”
The Link Hong Kong Open 2025 has added significance as the title sponsor, Link Asset Management Limited (Link), celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
George Hongchoy, Group Chief Executive Officer of Link Asset Management, said: “We are proud to welcome world-class golfers to the Link Hong Kong Open 2025. This year’s tournament holds special significance as it marks Link’s 20th anniversary and our ongoing commitment to the communities we serve. Initiatives such as Tour de Link Golf Challenge reflect our dedication to making golf more accessible and engaging for neighbourhoods across Hong Kong. Link Hong Kong Open is not just a celebration of world-class sport, but also a testament to community pride and Hong Kong’s emergence as a leading international sporting destination.”
With its lucrative purse and late-season positioning, the Link Hong Kong Open 2025 will be crucial in determining the final standings on both The International Series Ranking and the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series said: “There will be much to play for at this year’s Link Hong Kong Open in its third year as part of the elevated International Series. With just three events to go, the race for a coveted spot on the LIV Golf League is heating up and will translate to some fiery action at Fanling.”
Asian Tour Commissioner and CEO, Cho Minn Thant, added: “The Link Hong Kong Open has always been one of the highlights of the Asian Tour, and this year’s championship will have added lustre with the Major starts on offer for the champion. The outcome at Fanling will also have a huge bearing on the final standings in our Order of Merit.”
The Link Hong Kong Open 2025 is proud of being an “M” Mark event that helps enhance the image of Hong Kong as Asia’s sports event capital. The “M” Mark is awarded by the Major Sports Event Committee, symbolising intense, spectacular and signature events in the territory’s sports calendar.
In keeping with the event theme of the Link Hong Kong Open 2025 – Open For All – admission is free for the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday. Season passes, including the final two days on Saturday and Sunday, cost HK$300 for a weekend pass or HK$200 per day. Fans aged 18 and under will enjoy free entry across all four days when accompanied by a ticketed adult or by providing a photo ID showing the date of birth.
For more information, please visit www.thehongkongopen.com. Purchase tickets from https://www.ticketflap.com/lhko2025